Gearless valve mechanism for steam-engines.



C. LARSON.

GEARLESS VALVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, I916.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

@MUWQUJ: A pvv/V UNITED STATES OFFICE.

Gil-IRIS LARSON, 0F SPRING VALLEY, WISCONSIN.

GEARLESS VALVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

Application filed February 25, 1916. 'Serial No. 80,345.

To all it may concern:

Be it known that T, CHRIs LARSON, a citi zen of the United States, and resident 05' Spring Valley, in the county of Pierce an State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gearless Valve Mechanism for Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in fluid engines other than the internal combustion type, and relates more particularly to the means for procuring ingress and exhaust of the impelling fluids with respect to the cylinders thereof.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an engine wherein valve gearing for controlling the inlet and exhaust ports of the cylinders is entirely eliminated to thus provide an engine exceedingly simple in design and positive in operation.

It is further an object to provide an engine embodying the foregoing features, wherein the steam or other impelling fluid is admitted directly against the head of'the piston, so that its full force is utilized in positive working action on the piston.

It is still further an object to provide a valve gearless engine of the type described, means whereby a ready control of the fluid inlet means of the piston may be had.

With the above and other objects and advantages in View, the invention resides more particularly in the novel combination, arrangement and formation of parts more particularly hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through an engine cylinder constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a partial diagrmnmatic view through the improved engine structure and showing a plurality of cylinders.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings 5 designates the engine cylinder, and 6 designates the piston slidable therein, and to which is connected the usual pitman 7 which extends to the crank shaft 8, there being preferably four cylinders as shown in Fig. 2 and at the heads of each of these cylinders is provided a common steam chest chamber 9 which communicates with each cylinder by means of an inlet port 10 formed centrally in the head thereof, and the outer wall of this steam chest chamber comprises a detachable plate 11. A main steam supply pipe 12 communicates with the cham- Taking up now the inlet and exhaust means of each cylinder, there is provided a valve head 13 which seats in the respective inlet port slidably held by guide arms 14 projecting from the head into the chamber. Threaded or otherwise adjustably passed through each valve head is a pin 15 which projects into the respective cylinder to be engaged by the head of the piston, and bearing against each valve head. Adjacent the portion of the chamber plate 11 is an expansible spring 16 whereby the valve head is positively normally held on the seat although this spring may in certain instances be dispensed with as the valve normally tends to seat by means of pressure of steam in the chamber. Ad-

'jacent the outer end of the cylinder, its wall is formed with a relatively large outlet port 17 and this port is cleared by the piston in its outward limit of movement to provide for exhaust of the expanded fluid in the piston.

In the operation of the structure described the piston on its inward movement engages the pin 15 and unseats the valve head 13 to permit a desired flow of compressed fluid into the end of the cylinder, and as the piston starts its outward movement, away from the pin 15, the valve 13 seats due to action of the spring and fluid pressure in the chambur or merely to action of the latter. The fluid in expanding then forces the piston outwardly beyond the exhaust port and the fluid exhausts therethrough. Thus the necessity of providing a valve for the exhaust port, is entirely eliminated as is also the necessity of providing any valve gear whatsoever, and the consequent disadvantages incident thereto. Also, the' full action of the expansile fluid is exerted directly on the piston head to attain a maximum eiliciency.

Access to the valve structure may be readily had by removing the plate 11 of the steam chest chamber, and it is noted that by so removing the plate the valve pins 15 may be adjusted with respect to the valves to regulate the ingress of expansile fluid into the respective cylinders.

It is to be appreciated that the present embodiment of the invention is intended to of each cylinder and which is only illustrate the essential features thereof and that in practice various changes and modifications may be resorted to Without departing in any manner from the spirit of the invention, as defined in the appended claim.

I claim: In an engine of the type described the combination With a cylinder having a closed head provided substantially centrally with an inlet port including a valve seat, a chamber surrounding the inlet port, a cover for the chamber, a valve engageable on the said seat, a stem passed transversely through H. M. WALLER, E. C. WINGEN. 

